NATCA Going Down in Flames

You think there's no one waiting in the wings to bid against
Lockheed-Martin?

OF course - this is the same kind of competition we had in the cable TV
industry in the early days. The only reason there's any competition in
Cable is that the internet came, and even so, there are many political
barriers between the telephone and the cable.

Once they get the contract and have done it for a while, the startup
costs for new entrants will be just as high, but Lockheed won't have
those startup costs any more. It will be harder to bid against them.
They will also be politically entrenched.

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

On 4 Sep 2006 05:04:28 -0700, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

As of today, the FAA has imposed a dress code on their employees,
requiring that they (*gasp!*) NOT where flip-flops and cut-offs to
work! Amazingly, believe it or not, these employees are now actually
going to be required to wear (*Oh-mi-God*) DRESS PANTS and a DRESS
SHIRT to work!

In the face of this terrible affront, the controller's union, NATCA,
has decided to do the following, quoted from AvWeb:
************************************************* ************************************************
What's A Union To Do?
While the battle inside the towers and centers may (to outsiders) have
its whimsical side, the practical impact of the new regime could be
significant. NATCA appears determined to fight each and every violation
of the new rules cited by management. In a memo to controllers at a
major center (we do know which one), union leaders are urging members
to exercise their rights to the letter. "If a supervisor tries to talk
with you regarding the way your are dressed, it constitutes a formal
meeting," the memo reads. "Stop the conversation immediately and ask
for a union representative. The same approach should be used on any
other changes in your working conditions, ask for a rep immediately.
The Agency has a legal obligation to comply." But the memo also says
the overall battle won't be won by individual members discussing their
fashion challenges. "One person alone can not change the course the
agency has decided to take," the memo says. "However, collectively we
can unpave their course and start a new road. I and the rest of your
elected leaders will need your help now more than ever."
************************************************* ************************************************
Unbelievable! They're actually going to fight against their employer
for dictating what they must wear to work... Apparently their right to
look like bums in a professional setting has been violated, and the
union is going on the offensive!

I was a computer jock. You know the ones who wore "casual" clothes
all the time. Every one else wore suites to oficial meetings. Our
group would come in wearing sweats, t-shirts, and even ... well...
never mind. Come in to work at 10:00 when every one else comes in at
7:00. However, I like most of the others in the group would go home
early to make up for coming in late.

I say, good for them! I don't trust any orginization that gives the
workers a dress code.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

On Tue, 5 Sep 2006 07:10:29 -0700, "Matt Barrow"
wrote:


"Dave Stadt" wrote in message
. com...

"Private" wrote in message
news:n76Lg.516413$IK3.107547@pd7tw1no...

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...

In the end, the point isn't what I like, or what you like -- it's what
the employer likes. If the FAA decides that it wants you to wear polka
dot clown suits every day, so be it.

I will wear whatever my employer wishes, provided they also provide it.

In that case you quite likely would find yourself pursuing other
opportunities.

I require my project managers to wear slacks and at least a "golf" type
shirt when meeting clients/contractors in their offices. When entertaining
them in a restaurant, for example, a suit/sport coat and tie are mandatory.

I haven't had to buy anyone a suit yet, and I doubt I ever will.

I was a project manager in the CS department for a large multinational
corporation. The only time I ever wore a suit was at my interview.
After that I wore what I do now; slacks and a good shirt albeit I
could wear fitted shirts then. I guess I could now too, but they'd
have to let the middle out instead of taking it in.:-))
When they had a business lunch I wore the same thing and I had
one rule. I either did business or ate lunch but never both at the
same time. It's not good for the digestion.
As long as the person takes proper care of their personal sanitation
(you don't have to open the windows when they walk in a room of turn
away when they smile) I don't care what they ware. The co-ops that
were sent home for *almost* wearing a skirt too short should have been
in our departments instead of the office areas. They probably would
have still been sent home but it would have been because the guys
weren't getting any work done.

OTOH I view restaurants and hotels as a different world than computer
geeks and Air Traffic Controllers. Even then you are only talking
about neat, clean, and wearing the company logo. As far as name tags,
since I was 21 I've never worked any where that didn't require a
security badge.

I also had a job where I did wear a work uniform if you want to call
it that. I worked in industrial instrumentation for 26 years before
going back to college and I was glad they not only provided the slacks
and monogrammed shirts, coats, jackets, and even coveralls, but did
the laundry. It was not exactly an environment that was friendly to
what you wore. We all gladly put our personal clothes in our lockers.




Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:09:05 GMT, "Grumman-581"
wrote:

"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:13LLg.2729$8J2.1480@fed1read11...
There are also other professions, ever
heard of cross training?

Of course that is a *possibility*, but if someone has spent a considerable
amount of time getting good at some particular profession, it's not exactly
reasonable to assume that they will want to just switch and go to the bottom
of the ladder again...

Oh..You mean like pilots.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

The co-ops that
were sent home for *almost* wearing a skirt too short should have been
in our departments instead of the office areas.

If they "almost" wore a skirt, what =did= they wear? (or should we not
go there?

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Roger" wrote in message
...
On 4 Sep 2006 05:04:28 -0700, "Jay Honeck" wrote:


I say, good for them! I don't trust any orginization that gives the
workers a dress code.

Small wonder the IT field is now over in Asia.



Next time you get waited on by some scraggy guy with tattoos, body piercing
and spiked hair, don't complain.

Next time you get waited on by

Serving food is different from giving vectors or writing code.

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Roger (K8RI)" wrote in message
...
OTOH I view restaurants and hotels as a different world than computer
geeks and Air Traffic Controllers.

True. One group meets the public and another doesn't...normally.

I do notice, in my thirty some years in the business/engineering something
of a relationship from dress (call it comportment) to attitude, to

I laugh when I hear the term "Software Engineer". Slop shop is what I've
seen.

There's casual, as appropriate, and there grunge...especially when adults
are acting like spoiled brats. (See remarks about IT in Asia; those who
thought IT was a company provided playground).

I laugh when I hear the term "Software Engineer". Slop shop is what I've
seen.

There is sloppy code and sloppy dress. Can you demonstrate a positive
correlation between them?

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ps.com...
You think there's no one waiting in the wings to bid against
Lockheed-Martin?

I'll bet there's at least half a dozen companies, all willing to bid on
the ATC contract, all promising to do it "cheaper-faster-better"...

Who will just hire the LM workers as contractors and all you've done is
change the upper management...